Block or embrace

Author: Olly Jackson | Published: 26 Feb 2019

Competition bodies are wrestling with
protectionist policies and tech superpowers. They need a
strategy soon

Technology is forcing a change in competition law
enforcement. Along with strong actions from the European
Commission, many believe that the rules themselves must also be
adapted to address the threat posed by big tech firms, which
are growing larger and more powerful by the year. The question
is how laws can balance protecting consumers with allowing and
encouraging companies to grow.

With competition law caught in the middle of a broader
political divide – which is growing ever wider by the
day – debate about its future is intensifying. Some
strongly advocate a protectionist approach; others support a
free trade-friendly, global approach. The rise of Eurosceptic
politics is problematic for the European project and its
various unification initiatives, threatening its fundamental
principles; and competition law is in the crosshairs.